Chapter 17

When was the last time 2 Moons duelled?

Sherwyn didn’t know; she had never fought directly with one of the others before.

Her vast network of agents hadn’t heard any rumours of such things in Gealwu; was this a historical first?

Geoffrey Luther, the Magnanimous Magician, was more than Sherwyn’s political rival.

His name and aura reflected his true power.

When that blue-orange mana appeared around him, it was the first time Sherwyn had truly felt what he was capable of.

Its intensity, hue and density were greater than any other magician in Gealwu, perhaps the greatest in the world. She knew he was intelligent, second only to her, but he was calculating in every single thing he said and did, and this fight would be no different.

Sherwyn flexed the fingers wrapped around the dagger in her right hand and surged forward, aiming for his neck, but Geoffrey batted her strike away with the back of his hand before launching a palm strike with his other. Sherwyn grabbed his forearm with her free hand, wrapped her legs around his waist and sliced at his eyes. Geoffrey moved his head back out of the way and pushed his free hand against her thigh, making her limbs go weak and lose their grip.

What?! The Black Cat of La Fay felt her strength fade as she slid off of Geoffrey’s body and onto the ground. Did he absorb-?!

She rolled away as Geoffrey tried to stomp on her chest, but she had to keep dashing away on the ground as his stomps chased her. The ground split open narrowly behind Sherwyn as she danced along the floor, waiting for her strength to return, before rolling away a few feet back onto two legs.

It’s back? A temporary relaxant? Sherwyn narrowed her eyes and switched her dagger to her other hand. What strange magic.

Geoffrey unleashed a powerful high kick at her face which Sherwyn narrowly avoided by moving to the side as she stabbed at his raise leg with her claws. Geoffrey brought his raised leg down on her arm, smashing the claws into pieces and knocking the dagger free from her grip.

Sherwyn yanked with her right hand and the dagger flew into her open palm; there was a black thread made of shadows hung from the hilt of the dagger, a trick Geoffrey failed to notice. She drove it into his knee, piercing the bone, eliciting a quiet groan in pain from Geoffrey. He darted backwards to a safe distance, then pulled the dagger out and tried to heal the wound.

The blood had stopped flowing but the damage wasn’t undone.

A curse or poison of some kind? He thought, trying to flex and bend his knee as best he could but finding it near unmovable.

Geoffrey snapped his left fingers and Sherwyn, on pure instinct, chose to drop to the floor.

A loud screech echoed above her head as an invisible scythed blade cut through the air, devastating the courtyard around them, cutting buildings in two and sending powerful earthquakes and tremors rumbling throughout Tetrad.

Geoffrey walked forwards, snapping his fingers again and again, forcing Sherwyn to keep dodging the all-powerful spells. Sherwyn jumped into her own shadow and vanished from sight, giving the magician pause.

Where is she?

He knew from his research that Sherwyn often hid herself in the shadows of others, but Geoffrey had already imbued his own with powerful wards that would alert him if she tried. His earlier attacks had taken out most of the streetlights, so there were plenty of places the Black Cat could be hiding.

Then, let’s eliminate those. Geoffrey snapped his right fingers and dozens of small balls of light illuminated the courtyard; they were so bright there were few shadows left for her to skulk in. Now to force you-

Sherwyn axe-kicked him from the skies, her heel landing in the back of his head.

The street cracked wide open with stones flying in all directions.

Geoffrey bent forward slightly, but recovered, grabbing Sherwyn’s foot and throwing her into the crater she had just made. He then smashed his left boot into her chest, knocking the wind out of her with a satisfying crack.

The Black Cat winced in pain but quickly recovered, two fresh sets of steel claws on her gloves ready to pounce. She sliced, stabbed and slashed at Geoffrey’s face and body, forcing the magician to retreat and dodge closer to the cathedral. Geoffrey tried to block or parry some of the strikes, but Sherwyn was too quick and pulled back before he could touch her.

He went to snap his left fingers again, but Sherwyn then went for his arm with her claws, just as he wanted. He open-palmed struck them again, shattering the claws into a million pieces, before elbowing her in the chin. While she was disorientated, Geoffrey used his other hand to grab her clothes, pull her towards his body and threw her over him, launching her into a nearby house.

The building collapsed upon impact and Geoffrey began snapping his left and right fingers again and again, raining down death and destruction on the wreckage.

Fireballs, lightning, blasts of water and wind, invisible blades and magic arrows barraged the ruins for almost half a minute before he stopped.

Sherwyn emerged from his shadow, breaking through near every defense and stabbed and sliced at his back with her claws, unable to break through his dense aura. Geoffrey swung at her with his right arm, but Sherwyn ducked beneath it then tackled him to the ground. She jumped onto his front and stabbed at his eyes, but Geoffrey caught her wrist with both hands, trying desperately to hold her back, but the Black Cat was stronger.

Steadily, the tips of her claws were inching closer to his eyeballs.

Even after taking all those hits, she’s still largely unscathed. Geoffrey grinned as he felt sensation return to his damaged knee. Well, so am I.

Sherwyn pushed harder nearly taking out Geoffrey’s eyes, but he shoved her claws into the ground by his face, struck her cheek with the back of his hand, then used his magic to blast her off of him. Sherwyn flew nearly fifty metres back and landed in a crouched position as Geoffrey stood back up, lightly dusting himself off.

He flexed his once damaged leg at her and smirked. “All of this and nothing to show for it.”

“That makes two of us,” Sherwyn hissed back, taking out a pair of daggers from one of her many belts, spinning them between her fingers. “I guess we underestimated each other.”

“…As a combatant perhaps.” Geoffrey’s aura grew more intense. “Tetrad might not survive, but you’ll go with it.”

Sherwyn laughed as she became enshrouded by mists and shadows. “I don’t know about that.”

The two stared each other down before Geoffrey made the first move.

He kept snapping his fingers to unleash a near endless barrage of spells like he had before.

Sherwyn ran towards him, keeping low to the ground, and dodged, weaved and danced through his spells. Her shadows would lash out at the most dangerous attacks, bashing them to the side or blocking them. She spun, multiple shadowy hands appearing from her back, each grabbing rocks from the ground.

Sherwyn threw every stone at Geoffrey. Geoffrey stopped snapping his fingers and held his palm out before him; the stones smashed into an invisible barrier and turned to dust.

Got him!

Sherwyn went on the offensive, just as he had wanted.

Geoffrey raised his right hand a little above his head, drew a small circle with his fingertips in the air, from which a hundred spells appeared from above.

“What?!” He didn’t need to snap his fingers to cast?!

Of course I didn’t. Geoffrey grinned as he brought his hand down.

Hail, ice, storms, flames, magic missiles and more swarmed at Sherwyn from all sides.

The Black Cat shut her eyes for a moment, gathering all the shadows around her into her body.

Her veins turned black and her eyelids flew open, her eyes shining a golden yellow.

It happened in the blink of an eye, but Geoffrey saw her every movement.

Steel met magic and cut through every single spell.

Every angle was covered by what seemed like a thousand hands, except Sherwyn only ever used her own two.

I thought she would get hit at least once or twice, but this. Geoffrey swallowed anxiously. This is far more than I expected.

“That little snap fest was all for show?” Sherwyn asked, standing upright, her body returning to normal.

“Of course,” Geoffrey answered, relaxing and slipping his hands into his pockets. “I knew you had remarkable dark magic, but to take those shadows into your own body and then use it to boost your own agility. I must confess, I’m rather curious how that works.”

“I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

Geoffrey laughed. “So? What did you think?”

“Of what?”

“Our fight. Did you find a path to your victory within, Sherwyn?”

“What…is this?”

The two turned and, to their surprise, found Abigail Anjou emerging from a side alley, sweating, exhausted and terrified.

Behind her, seemingly chasing her, was a figure neither of them had expected to see, the captain of the city’s police force, Alexios Komne.

Why are they here? Sherwyn frowned. Abigail was sent by her master and then Alexios followed behind? She looked to Geoffrey who looked to be processing the development as well.

Did the Witch predict where we'd be and send her? No, if she did, Celine would've come herself. So, I'm guessing she chose the cathedral as a meeting place for her and her pets. Sherwyn resisted the urge to click her tongue. What's the best move?

Abigail Anjou's life had been torn to pieces by them, but there was a chance she and Celine didn't know the whole truth.

So, Sherwyn decided to make the first move.

“Lady Anjou! You’re alive?!” Sherwyn sounded genuine to Estelle, especially when she broke away from Geoffrey to check on her. “I was so worried after you disappeared from La Fay. My agents weren’t able to find you after you vanished. Are you okay? Did Geoffrey wrap you up in his scheme?”

“Lord Geoffrey’s scheme?” Estelle repeated.

If they don't know the truth, I can turn them against Geoffrey. Even if they do, it buys me time to think of a way of taking down the Magician.

“Yes. Everything that’s happened in Tetrad, to you, to these people tonight, all of it is because of the Magnanimous Magician!”

“What?!”

“I don’t have time for this.” Geoffrey snapped his fingers and lightning struck at Estelle and Alexios, but it was blocked by a magpie who landed on her shoulder. “…I see now. Abigail Anjou has become the witch’s apprentice.”

“That’s right,” Daya firmly said, gathering mana around her body. “Touch her again and I will kill you.”

I was right, Sherwyn thought.

If we wait too long, the Witch will turn up, but if I make the wrong move, I'll have her and the Cat to deal with, thought the Magician.

Geoffrey gave the bird a sly smile. “Unfortunate. Both that you survived back then and that you became her apprentice. But I feel a little fortunate that bird saved your life.”

“That’s the kind of man Geoffrey Luther is, Lady Anjou.” Sherwyn cursed his name as she spoke. “Everything that’s happened is his fault! Whenever someone tries to break Tetrad free of his control, Geoffrey Luther digs his claws in tighter. I brought my people here tonight to free this city of his disgusting hands once and for all!”

That’s…not what Lady Celine said, Estelle thought, trying to maintain her poker face, but her convictions faltered ever so slightly.

Because it was the Moon of La Fay that was talking to her.

When Sherwyn saw Estelle wasn’t completely convinced, she said, “Your broken engagement with the Chister boy - who do you think pulled the strings to make it happen? Who needed your misfortune to benefit from? Geoffrey couldn’t let a castle get built so close to the Mounsan border, which is why he schemed to break your bond apart.”

“I-I don’t-”

“Geoffrey Luther wants to drag Gealwu into another war!” The Black Cat declared decisively. “He’s trying to annex Tetrad, so he can use it as a base for a two-pronged invasion of La Fay! Geoffrey wanted to break up a strong alliance close to his own borders, so it’d be easier for him to invade and conquer our home. If you and the Chister boy had married, you would’ve built a castle right at the border, blocking his assault.

“With you gone, your father no longer had any motivation to build a castle in Chister lands and without the support of a duchy, they would be wide open to an attack. Then, Mounsan would attack La Fay from Tetrad too and slowly, but surely, conquer us until we were their slaves.”

“At least, that’s what Sherwyn’s convenient truths are.”

“…What?”

“Oh, come on now, little witch.” Geoffrey smirked. “Surely, you aren’t so naïve to accept the words of your former country’s Moon without so much as a niggle of a doubt?”

“What are you-?”

“Do you really think it’s just a coincidence that Lady Flora ran into your fiancé that day? Did you honestly believe that Flora Dumond would simply lie and cheat for the sake of her family without having secured certain guarantees from someone else? After all, how could such a minor noble family ever truly hope to stand against the might of the Anjou Duchy without guarantees from someone of equal or greater power?

“It’s true that my schemes relied on your misfortunes, but I didn’t lift a finger to cause them.” Geoffrey pointed at Sherwyn. “She did.”

“…What?”

Geoffrey’s smile grew a little as he saw Estelle grow pale. “Sherwyn had come to realise the same thing I had - Tetrad is the key to Gealwu’s future. Whilst she thinks that I want the city to turn and eliminate La Fay, Sherwyn needs Tetrad to destroy Mounsan.

“It’s no small secret that a large amount of our trade with the Reich, La Fay and Du Lan passes through Tetrad, if the city were to suddenly slip out of our control and blockade our goods, Mounsan would be faced with an economic crisis the likes of which it had never seen. We can’t trade with Itazmna more than we already do; any ships we sent around the continent to the north would be easy prey to bandits, sea monsters or La Fay’s navy and Du Lan doesn’t care to buy many of the things we produce.

“The Reich and La Fay, however, are our two biggest trading partners. If La Fay refused to buy and they blocked the flow of goods north by sealing Tetrad, Mounsan would begin to collapse.

“A large economic downturn followed by rioting and civil war; the total collapse of Mounsan. Perhaps not in that exact order, but that’s likely what the Black Cat was aiming for.

“She couldn’t take control of Tetrad diplomatically. I’d ensured that by putting the city’s leadership firmly in the palm of my hand; she needed to come up with a plan to evict Mounsan and, by extension, I from the city for good. To do that, she needed to poison its people against us.

“First came the rumours, but they weren’t as effective as she’d hoped. Of course, I tried to besmirch the name of La Fay too; I’m sure Celine has told you about my smuggling operation, no?”

Estelle nodded solemnly. “It was a plan that fell apart when Flora’s family created the new type of glass you couldn’t create.”

“Quite,” said Geoffrey. “But then, the question has to be asked - why was Flora’s family chosen to work on the project?

“Did Celine tell you her family was so insignificant they had virtually no records of their name or deeds in the capital until after you were falsely accused of cruelty towards her? That was because Sherwyn recruited them.

“She needed a pawn of some significance for her plan. First, she needed a way to stop my fake bottles circulating on the streets. So, she needed a creation that couldn’t be copied by anyone else in the world. People who owe their entire success to a single person tend to have unwavering loyalty to their saviour, and Flora’s parents are no different.”

Estelle’s mouth went agape. “Y…you mean-?”

“Yes. Sherwyn made a deal with them. ‘Ruin the Anjou heiress’s engagement and you shall be greatly rewarded’. I’m sure Flora Dumond was eager at first to help her family but then she saw you, the honest, kind and sweet lady who loved and protected her and felt conflicted. Her parents beat her and made her swear it was you who did it to her.

“Everything Flora Dumond did, she did on their orders. Once you were cast out of Ordon, the Dumond family became rich and famous, and they were given the chance to work with the Moon of La Fay on a highly important project.”

Estelle felt faint, her ears ringing and her vision blurring as she stumbled and turned around, to look into the face of the woman she had once admired, La Fay’s great protector.

The Black Cat, however, ignored her and stared daggers only at Geoffrey Luther.

Lady Sherwyn…it’s all…her fault.

“W-why…why did it have to be me?”

“There were a few reasons, but the main one was that castle,” Geoffrey said. “A castle in the Chister's land was useless, especially when compared with a border fortress near the Reich and Tetrad. A keep with a garrison of knights and soldiers close to Tetrad would allow La Fay to put more pressure on Tetrad and serve as an invasion or police force should the need arise.

“Say, for example, if a manufactured riot in Tetrad got out of hand and desperate calls for aid were sent out. Wouldn’t it just be the perfect image of La Fay’s greatness if a company of knights and troops of soldiers arrived and saved the city from the cruel monsters of Mounsan?” Geoffrey chuckled. “What a picture-perfect coincidence that would be, even better when those soldiers stay to keep the peace, rebuild and conduct search and rescue operations.

“To put it simply, Sherwyn needed a place to naturally keep large stores of troops and supplies, whether to invade or protect Tetrad. But to do so, she needed there to be good justification for the construction of a castle so close to a hot border. Duke Anjou wouldn’t exactly be keen to build a fort with the Chisters now that your engagement has ended, so it would make sense that he’d want to try and find a new place to build the castle he’s already invested time and resources into.

“All Sherwyn needed to do was have someone suggest her desired place and everything would have fallen into place.”

“…You knew, all of this…and you just let her?” Estelle choked out as she began to cry. “Why?”

“For my own ambitions.” Geoffrey put a hand on his chest. “I’m not after La Fay, the Reich or any of you. My ultimate goal is mine to know alone, but I seek the destruction of Du Lan, not La Fay.”

“What?”

“What?!”

Sherwyn’s was the loudest and most surprised voice in the courtyard.

“Like I thought, you didn’t realise,” Geoffrey sighed.

“There’s no way that’s the truth!” Sherwyn yelled.

“Why not?”

“Because why would you tell us?!”

“The cat is already out of the bag; it’s become clear both of us have lost tonight.”

“What?”

“I had, like you, requested the aid of the Du Lan emperor tonight and his army was meant to be charging into the city like the barbarians they are. I had secured and opened the gatehouse for them, so there was nothing standing in their way.” Geoffrey glared at Estelle. “I assumed that the Witch herself had handled that, but surely it must have been you or that little bird. Either way.” Geoffrey’s aura began to spike again. “My best laid plans have been undone once again by the Cresent Moon.”

Estelle, when I give the signal, run! Daya told her telepathically as Estelle felt a nervous sweat envelope her back.

“I wonder, if I hurt you two enough, will she come running to save you?” He huffed. “Then again, she did miss all the excitement earlier, so maybe I might have to go a little bit harder on you two.

“What about you, Sherwyn?” Geoffrey glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Do you feel the same way I do?”

Sensing what he was getting at, she purred. “Oh, I definitely understand your frustrations."

"Then-”

“However.” He paused and slowly lifted his hands from his pockets. “I would rather die than stand alongside you!”

Sherwyn and Geoffrey leapt at each other.

A cane flew from the heavens and planted itself between them.

The whole world went silent as she slowly floated downwards.

Estelle trembled.

Daya shook.

Captain Alexios’s heart was beating so fast he thought it’d explode.

Geoffrey looked calm but he couldn’t deny the sweat trickling from his brow.

Sherwyn shuddered, but her anger was stronger than her fear.

Celine, the Witch of the Cresent Moon, had descended.

And she was furious.

“Unforgivable!”